Nektar Panorama P4 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Panorama P4 from Nektar is an incredibly versatile midi controller and is a powerful tool when used in combination with Ableton Live. The Akai MPK Mini has a wealth of features that make it perfect for use with Ableton Live.

This tutorial will show you the whole process of how to operate the Nektar Panorama P4 with Ableton Live. It will cover the steps of connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Panorama P4.

Article Contents

Does the Nektar Panorama P4 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Nektar Panorama P4 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Panorama P4 to ableton
How to midi map the Nektar Panorama P4 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Panorama P4
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Nektar Panorama P4 work with Ableton Live?

In summary, the Nektar Panorama P4 is usable with Ableton Live.

Although Ableton Live does not come with a MIDI remote script, the Panorama P4 can still be mapped to many of the software's functions.

All forms of Ableton Live, Intro, Lite, Standard and Suite, can work with practically any instrument that sends out MIDI data, and it will be compatible with all versions of Live such as 9, 10 and 11. Due to this, the Panorama P4 will be usable with Ableton Live.

Creating your own midi mappings in Ableton is simple, and gives you the ability to control a variety of Ableton Live's components with your Panorama P4.

Does the Nektar Panorama P4 come with ableton Live included?

The Panorama P4 doesn’t come with a copy of Ableton Live Lite, so this would need to be purchased separately.

Ableton Live has 3 main versions, Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are very capable pieces of software, the Suite version packs more in, such as over 70GB of library sounds compared to Standard’s 10GB.

If you're looking to make sure you have the full range of Audio and MIDI effects, we suggest you go with Ableton Live Suite, as it has far more than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Panorama P4 to ableton

Linking and configuring the Nektar Panorama P4 to Ableton Live is not too complicated, and once you have them paired together you can control the software's settings from your midi controller.

1. Connect the Panorama P4 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Panorama P4 and your computer.
2. Launch Ableton Live and open the MIDI preferences.
Double click the Ableton Live icon to launch the software. Then, in the top menu of Ableton, go to the Preferences menu by opening the ‘Live’ menu and clicking ‘Preferences’.
3. Select the Panorama P4 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Panorama P4 are checked.
4. Ensure that the ‘Track’, ‘Remote’ and ‘Sync’ boxes are all checked.
In the ‘MIDI’ section of this tab, make sure the ‘Track’ and ‘Remote’ boxes are checked for both the Input and Output of the Panorama P4 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

Set up of the Panorama P4 with Ableton Live is now complete.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After linking up the Nektar Panorama P4 to Ableton Live using the steps provided, you can now assign the physical buttons, pads, keys etc on the device to specific functions within Ableton Live via MIDI mapping as follows:

1. Select the MIDI Map Mode button in the top right corner of the Live window. The button should turn orange, indicating that the MIDI Map Mode is enabled.
2. Select the parameter you wish to control in Ableton by clicking it with the cursor, the parameter will become highlighted.
3. Move a control on the Panorama P4, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Panorama P4.
5. Moving the physical control on your Panorama P4 will now move the position of the corresponding parameter in Ableton.
6. Repeat steps 2 - 4 for any other parameters you wish to map.
7. When you’re finished mapping, press the MIDI Map Mode button again to disable it.

The Limitations of midi mapping the Panorama P4

For the fastest way to map your Panorama P4, you can't go wrong with Ableton's midi mapping system, but make sure you take into account these limitations...

Saving your Panorama P4 Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Be aware that when saving your mappings, they will be stored with the Ableton session. Therefore, starting a new session will require you to re-map your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each button or knob on your Panorama P4 can only be assigned to control a single parameter in Ableton Live.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

When using Ableton's internal midi mapping mode, unfortunately now all options are available, controls such as selected track and selected device control aren't currently possible. View a full list of Ableton midi mapping options here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you're looking to get the most out of your Panorama P4, our Ableton Midi Script Creator tool 'Control Surface Studio' is exactly what you need!
With it, you'll be able to:
- save and re-use your Panorama P4's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Panorama P4,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Panorama P4, than Live's internal midi mapping mode allows.

Learn more about Control Surface Studio and see how it can help you by clicking here!

FAQ / Troubleshooting

Why can't I hear my Panorama P4 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Panorama P4 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Panorama P4 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Panorama P4.
4. Make sure that the Panorama P4 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.